This memorial website was created in memory of Ahija "Chris" Johnson. I want my daughter to always have a place to come and celebrate her Dad's life and legacy. Ahija left a footprint of laughter and love & for that, he will never be forgotten.

"I've decided that EVERY year on your birthday we'll kick it up a notch. We've done cake and ice cream but now we'll incorporate something "new"....so Ayla's getting her ears pierced. :) I hope you can see her, hear me..... something.....we love and miss you. This is so hard......"

"I hope you are seeing this little girl. Your twin, the older she gets ...the more you come through. Makes me happy and sad at the same time,.... She loves to sing and dance and she's funny....very smart. She has your quick wit..... Good things are happening, wish you were here to be a part of it. We love you."

"Ayla is so funny, she's very smart and has a very determined spirit. If she gets into trouble, she calls for her Daddy...I guess to get me into trouble. I just tell her again Daddy went to heaven and we can't see him. She gets really sad, so she seems to understand. I don't want her upset or sad, but I have to explain why she doesn't see you. She see's all the Dad's at school and says she wants hers....I just tell her I want Daddy too and I'm sorry. We love you, miss you and wish you were here."

"Thanksgiving was weird of course, apart of me was just waiting for you to pop up somewhere & I wanted my sweet potatoe pie from Astoria.... I have yet to set foot anywhere near Greektown.....I don't know why my brain won't accept your gone.... I'm just still waiting...... I don't know on what though.... I feel like I'm still on the verge of breaking down....I don't know if I'm still bottling up my emotions....I've cried, and cried but I can't let go. it's not time yet i guess..... you're still apart of my thoughts everyday & Ayla and I speak about you all the time. She sees your picture and says "My Daddy".... so she knows you....."

"Still struggling....I can't believe I'll never see you again. I keep thinking how unfair it was, for you to be taken away like that. I don't know if it would've been easier losing you to an illness, or whatever.... But to just in an instant realize that you're gone forever. It's so unfair. What am I going to tell our daughter? She knows you're her Daddy and that you're in Heaven, but as she gets older....how am I going to explain what happened. Why it happened? I just don't have the words. When I think what life would've been like 5, 10yrs from now, it just breaks my heart. I think about what I have in both of my parents and it devastates me that Ayla wont have that. The coolest, most handsome Dad....I'll do my best to ensure she knows you.... She'll be able to look in mirror and see you. I'm teaching her how to pray, so she'll hear you.....our Guardian Angel..."

"I still feel so lost, I can't talk to anyone, no one understands..all those times you thanked me for taking care of our baby, reassuring me I was still beautiful after having her, and just listening.....you would just listen to me go on and on...good or bad.... I don't have that outlet anymore... so i am feeling so heavy, everyday...

Ayla constantly says Daddy.....I keep asking her does she talk to you and see you, she just smiles.....she knows you're in Heaven...It breaks my heart seeing her acknowledge her class mates Dads... people say she is too young to know, but she does..she's growing beautifully..anyway, i miss my friend..I miss her Dad"

"missing you so much today brother. I need you to yell at me and tell me that i need to look for a better job. i need your advice on who to go to for my oil change i can't go there by myself. i only had one big brother and you was always looking out for me. And i promise to try to grow my hair out as long as it will grow no more cuts ok"

"missing you so much today brother. I need you to yell at me and tell me that i need to look for a better job. i need your advice on who to go to for my oil change i can't go there by myself. i only had one big brother and you was always looking out for me. And i promise to try to grow my hair out as long as it will grow no more cuts ok"

"Omg Nephew !! I miss you dearly .it seems Like only yesterday ....when I last heard your voice and seen your face it been 4 months now ...and I've thought of you each and everyday sence you've been gone ...I Love Nephew continue to Rip"

"I'm deeply sadden to hear my homie is gone. We go back from the 90's clubbin and Greektown, Floods etc. Man a real cool laid back guy.. It's hard to believe it. Just seen him in January visiting home (Detroit) He came out his way to come over to speak to me. I seen him creeping over lol.... I remember both of us bust out laughing.. That's how I last remembered him.. Damn a good brother left here for a better place R.I. H.. God bless his kids/mother and family. .."

"I almost made it through this day, I stayed busy but not getting that call still hurts. When we were getting home, Ayla ran away from me and out into the street. All I could think about was losing her too. My life would be over. Please watch over her, over us. It still feels so unreal, but days like this is a very painful reminder. love always"

Even the simplest things creates a painful reminder that you're no longer here. Last month when I was home for my birthday, outside of my dinner party, there was nothing I did or anywhere I went that we hadn't done together at some point...even down to getting my nails done... Honestly being home just hurts, it'll never be the same.

"I would like to give my condolences to the family of Mr. Johnson. I'm sure he is greatly missed. I would like to share something comforting from the Bible it is found at Acts24:15 "There is going to be a resurrection..." And also at 1Corinthians 15:26 "And the last enemy, death, will brought to nothing." In the future Jehovah God will resurrect all those sleeping in death back to life on earth and reunite them with their families. This enemy death that effects everyone will finally be destory forever because God is going to get rid of it. If you would like to find more comforting thoughts please go to www.jw.org"

"First of all, how dare you leave me?? You know we had some unfinished business. You would always say we would look back at these first few years and laugh. I was looking forward to that.

After all this happened, for some reason I couldn't remember our last conversation. Finally, it came to me. We were talking about you coming down here for a visit & I was saying I would have a list ready for you. If you didn't want to put up all those shelves, you could've just said something ;)

I couldn't get myself together enough to write in your obit, I struggled. Every day, this is still a struggle. This is the hardest task I ever had in my life. How do I sum up what you meant to me, what you meant to Ayla in a few sentences. I couldn't. I still can't. I did a cute poem though ;)

I want our daughter to know her Dad, so I decided to come here. Something Ayla and I will have forever.

In my heart, I know you were tired. You were frustrated and overwhelmed, every single day. I keep trying to understand the reason God called for you, maybe he was tired of seeing you hurt and wanted you with Him. Sometimes I think we forget that we belong to God first, so before being a son, father, nephew, cousin - you are His child. I know how many times I tried to cover you and I know my love falls short of the love God has for us and if I tried to keep you and shield you, of course He would.

Just know, whatever life's circumstances were for you, you were and are loved. Beyond this life. Beyond the distance we had - none of that matters to me. You know that.

I am thankful you are showing up for Ayla, she see's you. She laughs, smiles and points at you - she says your name. I can hear you calling her "Heyyyy Princess".

I will make sure she knows the man you were to me and knows your heart. I am blessed to be one of the few you shared your heart with. I've heard all the stories, the ones you've told me and now the stories from your family. ;) You may not have been careful with who you spent your time with, (inside joke) but you definitely were careful with who you shared your heart with. I was going to leave that up to you to explain to Ayla - how to tell the difference.

At a certain time in a girl's life, the only person that can make sense to her is her Daddy. So you not being here scares me in so many ways, that of course is one of them. How do we protect her heart from this world?

I am going to share with her your words and your actions towards me, so she can understand what it feels like to be considered in someone else's thoughts and actions.

I miss you, i love you & i love the little miracle lady we created together.